Mpumalanga Department of Health denies DA-allegations on the Covid-19 statistics

HIGHVELD – Citizens of Mpumalanga, especially residents of Govan Mbeki Municipality, are frustrated with the fluctuating statistics on Covid-19 cases in the province.
For example, the statistic for 5 May indicated two cases reported for Govan Mbeki municipal area (an apparent new patient and another who had fully recovered). The following day, the statistic was changed back to one reported case of the patient who had recovered, yet on Thursday, 7 May, this was again changed back to two cases without explanation.
The DA’s MPL and spokesman for health in the province, Ms Jane Sithole, this week criticised the department and the MEC for Health, Ms Sasekani Manzini, for the variant in the numbers. She accused Ms Manzini of misleading the people of Mpumalanga.
The MEC and her department has since retaliated in a statement posted on the Department’s Facebook page claiming that the MEC for Health is not misleading the people of Mpumalanga as alleged by the DA.
“The public should note that the data for Covid-19 changes from time to time informed daily by samples and results taken on suspected Covid-19 cases. The Department dismisses the allegations raised by the DA that the MEC is misleading the public on the Covid-19 statistics.”
The Department said that the MEC has no reason or intention to mislead the people of Mpumalanga, whom she serves diligently, and shall not deny anyone access to information on Covid-19 statistics.
“It is for these reasons that the MEC makes a concerted effort to inform the people of Mpumalanga by publishing daily statistics. The province always verifies the statistics sent.
“The Minister for Health: Dr Zwelini Mkhize announces the national statistics, and thereafter the Minister sends the details of the statistics to the provinces for the purposes of validation, contact tracing and linkage to care. As the province, we are responsible for the tracing of our cases and their contacts. Therefore, upon this process, the province would pick misallocated cases and report these cases to the National Department of Health for correction. Then the Minister corrects the misallocation with the subsequent announcement.”

Notice: Coronavirus reporting at Caxton Local Media aims to combat fake news

Dear reader,
As your local news provider, we have the duty of keeping you factually informed on Covid-19 developments. As you may have noticed, mis- and disinformation (also known as “fake news”) is circulating online. Caxton Local Media is determined to filter through the masses of information doing the rounds and to separate truth from untruth in order to keep you adequately informed. Local newsrooms follow a strict pre-publication fact-checking protocol. A national task team has been established to assist in bringing you credible news reports on Covid-19.
Readers with any comments or queries may contact National Group Editor Irma Green (irma@caxton.co.za) or Legal Adviser Helene Eloff (helene@caxton.co.za).